Astounding, April 1941 pulp - "The Stolen Dormouse" by L. Sprague De Camp

Hubert Rogers was Astounding Science Fiction’s primary cover artist from late 1939 to early 1952, with a break from 1943 through 1946 due to World War II (which he spent in Canada painting war posters and other paintings related to the war). This painting appeared on the cover for Astounding, April 1941, and illustrated “The Stolen Dormouse” by L. Sprague de Camp. Shortly after its publication, De Camp wrote to Rogers, asking if he could acquire the painting, which he did. De Camp’s letter of inquiry (dated March 10, 1941) notes that it would replace on his wall Edd Cartier’s painting for “Lest Darkness Fall” by De Camp. Cartier’s painting had appeared on the December 1939 issue of Astounding’s sister publication, Unknown (De Camp mistakenly identifies it as the November issue). The two paintings are now once again re-united, as that Cartier painting is currently hanging in our living room, and a pic of it is in my gallery.